Abstract
Our research is focused on how Māori understand animal welfare―what it means for an animal to live a good life―and how this relates to traditional Māori values and concepts. This is a pilot study to lay the groundwork for future research and policy development in this area. We conducted a literature review across an array of databases, conducted ethical analysis of information derived from that, and integrated this with qualitative research consisting of interviews and a focus group discussion. The themes we identified will begin to aid policy development and provide a starting point for more in depth analysis of the topic. Several major aspects of animal welfare have been identified. Spiritual health, holism, mauri and natural living were important themes within animal welfare from a te ao Māori perspective. Preliminary reasoning about how some of these could be incorporated into policy were advanced.